


Lions

by stylesoftheshire



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-13
Updated: 2013-02-13
Packaged: 2017-11-29 03:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/682141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stylesoftheshire/pseuds/stylesoftheshire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Louis meet at the zoo on a school trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lions

Harry had been staring into the lion enclosure for nearly an hour now. His back was aching from standing still for so long and he was sure the lioness closest to the glass was wondering what the hell he was looking at. 

It was like this every year though.

He would turn up on time on the right day, but he would still end up standing in front of the glass alone, not moving from his spot until closing, even when he could feel small children trying to push in front of him or when his friends had long wandered off.

This was his spot and it was where he needed to be, because if he wasn't then it would be like he had given up. He probably should, but when everything else in his life was racing past him in a blur of maturity and responsibility, he needed this one little piece that still had the carefree innocence of his childhood.

He shifted his weight to the other foot, eyes following a lion as it shook out its mane, and thought back to the school trip that seemed a lifetime ago. 

-

He was eleven and, like all eleven year old boys, his attention was drifting from the tour guide who was going into far too much detail about hibernation for him to listen anymore. He squinted at the nearest signpost, scanning down the list until he saw something that caught his attention: lion enclosure.

That's what coming to the zoo was about - well, that and the gift shop. He glanced back at his teacher to make sure they were looking the other way and decided to make a run for it, hoping that none of his class mates would tell on him.

He kept up his pace until he was in the viewing hut, a small stone building with a giant window that looked out onto the land where five lions were prowling, all large paws and swinging tails.

He waited until a family had moved away before taking a step closer so he could press his nose to the glass, his small hands splayed either side of his face as he stared at the magnificent beasts, trying to count their teeth whenever they yawned.

'Did you know that a lot of male lions are gay?'

The voice made Harry jump and he turned quickly to see another boy watching the lions beside him.

'Pardon?' he asked, ignoring his mother's warnings not to talk to strangers.

The boy turned to face him and grinned. He couldn't have been more than a couple years older.

'Lions. A lot of them are gay.' He paused and raised an eyebrow. 'You know what gay is right?'

Harry's cheeks burned and he nodded his head vigorously. He didn't want this boy to think he was stupid.

'Of course I do!’ he said indignantly. ‘It means that boys like boys and girls like girls.'

The boy grinned again and turned back to face the lions.

'Yeah. The good thing about lions is that if one of them is gay, none of the other lions are mean to him.' The boy sighed a little. ‘No one would mess with you if you were a lion.’

Harry watched him thoughtfully for a while, his eyes following his delicate profile down to where his lips were breathing out warm air that steamed up the glass.

‘Do you wish you were a lion?’ he asked.

The boy sighed again and then shifted so he was leaning against the glass and facing Harry.

‘Sometimes,’ he said with a shrug.

Harry nibbled his lip before mirroring his stance. ‘I think you could be a lion if you wanted to.’

The boy’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. ‘Yeah?’

Harry nodded earnestly before blushing, suddenly feeling a bit silly for saying such a thing.

‘I- I mean, you wouldn’t grow a-a mane or anything but – ‘ 

‘I’m Louis,’ the boy said suddenly, sticking out his hand like Harry had seen his stepdad do when he met new people.

He took hold of it lightly and shook it, Louis’ soft skin making Harry aware of how sweaty his own was.

‘I’m Harry,’ he said shyly, smiling.

‘Hey, you have a dimple!’ Louis exclaimed, dropping Harry’s hand and poking his pinky finger into his cheek. ‘I like dimples.’

Harry felt himself blush, like Louis had branded his skin with his fingerprint.

‘How long will you be at the zoo for?’ Louis asked, looking around them like he was expecting to see a parent waiting.

Harry jolted, having forgotten that he had run away from his class. ‘Crap! I have to go!’

Louis’ face fell and Harry felt his stomach go along with it. 

‘But we only just met,’ Louis pouted, sounding crestfallen.

Harry felt torn, half of him wanting to learn more about his new friend and half of him knowing that he should get back before he ended up completely lost.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said pathetically, patting Louis on the shoulder. As his hand slid down his arm, Louis snatched it and held it tight.

‘What date is it?’

Harry looked at him perplexedly before checking his watch, reading the little digits carefully.

‘10th of January.’

Louis nodded and loosened his grip, still holding onto Harry’s hand as if it were completely normal.

‘Would you come back here in a year?’

Harry thought about it. He could probably ask his parents.

‘Maybe.’

Louis shook his head impatiently. ‘No, do you promise that you’ll come back here on the 10th of January? Do you promise that in a year you’ll be here with the lions?’

Louis’ eyes were boring right into him, his elfin face serious and hopeful. Harry had to say yes.

‘I promise.’

Louis’ face lit up like a beacon and he darted forward unexpectedly to give nothing more than a brief brush of his lips against Harry’s cheek, right where his dimple would be. Before he could say anything else, he could hear his teacher calling his name, sounding somewhere between panicky and angry which wasn’t a good sign.

‘I-I have to – ‘ he stuttered, regretfully pulling his hand away.

Louis just smiled. ‘Don’t forget about the lions, Harry.’

-

And ten years later, Harry still hadn’t forgotten about the lions or the boy who held his hand. It had been ten years of coming to the zoo on the 10th of January, whether it be something he asked for as an early birthday present from his parents or a spontaneous day trip with his friends once he got a bit older. Ten years of standing and staring at some of the same lions he had watched with Louis, as well as ones he had watched grow from cubs to the fully-grown beasts that were now drinking lazily from the shallow pool.

He could feel the last piece of his fantasy draining away from him as he leaned heavily against the large window, and wondered if maybe this would be the last year he bothered to make the trip. It was foolish of him to think that Louis had been serious or that he even remembered him after more than a few weeks. He closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the cool glass and listening to the muffled rumbling sounds of the lions.

‘Did you know that a lot of male lions are gay?’

The voice was unfamiliar and familiar all at the same time and Harry nearly choked on his own tongue, his eyes snapping open to see a man stood beside him, gazing into the enclosure. He could see an echo of the boy from his memory in his pretty features, but he had stubble where he didn’t before and he had definitely grown, though he was still a good couple of inches shorter than Harry. He had filled out though, that’s for sure.

‘Louis?’ he asked unsurely, preparing himself to feel ridiculous in case he had made a mistake.

‘I can’t believe you’re here,’ Louis whispered incredulously, eyes still on the lions. 

‘You made me promise.’ Harry paused, suddenly feeling a little childish. ‘I came to see the lions every year.’

Louis turned then and Harry was hit by just how beautiful the stranger from his past had become. 

‘I’m sorry that I didn’t. I didn’t think you’d remember.’

‘How could I forget you?’ Harry asked, blushing when he heard just how cheesy he sounded.

Louis smiled perfectly and Harry’s heart flipped.

‘Do you remember what you said to me?’ Louis asked softly. ‘About how I could be a lion?’

Harry nodded. ‘Yeah, I remember.’ His legs turned to jelly when he felt a hand slip into his tentatively. 

A crease appeared in Louis’ forehead like he was deliberating something but before Harry could ask, he was leaning forward so their lips were just touching in the most innocent of ways, whispering.

‘Well, I think you could be a lion too.’


End file.
